The Influence of Casinos on Techwear

December 23, 2016

Over the past few years, advances in micro technology has made it possible to develop wearable tech devices with incredible processing power. From smartwatches to heartrate monitors, and augmented reality glasses to virtual reality goggles, this techwear’s being being hailed as the future of smart technology. But where did it all start? It turns out, the origins of techwear can be found in a casino.

In 1961, Edward Thorp, the famous card counting savant wanted to develop a system of gaining an edge over the house at the local casino. With the help of his friend Claude Shannon, the two decided to focus on system that would significantly decrease the house edge in casino roulette. The team put their heads together and designed a miniature wearable computer. This amazing device would track abnormalities in the roulette wheel and tell the wearer which numbers the ball would land on more frequently.

Computerised Card Counting

If the computerised device was used correctly, it would give the player a massive 44 percent advantage over the house in any roulette game. The illegal device was widely used with high rates of success for over 10 years. A decade later, Keith Taft wanted to use the same concept to take the art of card counting to a new level. Using his skills in electronics, Taft designed a small device that he hid inside his shoe. He named the device George and used to track cards and predict the outcome of a hand.

Throughout the 60s and 70s micro technology was used in casinos all over the world. Eventually the casinos did catch on and banned all computer or technology devices that could predict odds or aid in card counting. From these illegal beginnings, the idea of wearable computers soon spread across the globe. In 1981, a computerised backpack was unveiled sparking the start of a whole new era of computers.

Early Developments in Techwear

In 1994, the world’s first headgear webcam was unveiled, leading to the development of even more technologically advanced wearable technology. Today techwear has become commercially available and more powerful than ever. Smartwatches can now be used to access the internet and play online slot games from anywhere in the world.

High tech wrist bands can track your movements and monitor your health creating detailed medical reports without any external intervention. In a world where smart technology is advancing at an astonishing speed, techwear has the potential to completely revolutionise how we interact with the world.